Why are the most religious countries also the poorest?

[Takes Two To Tango]

It can't be just a coincidence.

But I found some solid responses here in the Quora.

Why are the most religious countries also the poorest?

Answer (1 of 30): Religious states (bible belt) are the poorest states in USA. Religious countries are the poorest in Europe. All South America and Central America are religious, they are poor, unsafe countries. Most Muslim countries are very religious, even with oil money, they are the most b...

www.quora.com

Also check out this map you can see the most religious countries are in Africa and in South Asia.

Africa and South Asia tend to have the poorest countries.

Importance of religion by country - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[The_Renaissance]

"Something to believe in".

"Life will be better when we die".

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

"Something to believe in".

"Life will be better when we die".

lol good quotes.

 

[WillyWarminski]

This kind of information is incredibly skewed.

The flipside:

The most wealthy and/or best GDP in the world include Middle East countries with unreal wealth and GDP.
Ireland. Luxembourg. They have wealth and excellent GDP, aswell as high GDP.

Once you find a statistic you want to portray and produce that one stat, it appears way beyond what the full picture is.

FYI. I despise a lot of religiosity and braindead religious power but the stats are not what they seem.

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

This kind of information is incredibly skewed.

The flipside:

The most wealthy and/or best GDP in the world include Middle East countries with unreal wealth and GDP.
Ireland. Luxembourg. They have wealth and excellent GDP, aswell as high GDP.

Once you find a statistic you want to portray and produce that one stat, it appears way beyond what the full picture is.

FYI. I despise a lot of religiosity and braindead religious power but the stats are not what they seem.

Yes there is exceptions indeed for certain countries in certain parts of the world. But in the most part I believe most religious countries tend to be the poorest from my observation.

Again that's just my opinion.

 

[Berserker13]

America is in debt up to it's ears, but it isn't considered poor?

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

America is in debt up to it's ears, but it isn't considered poor?

America is overall not a poor country not in a long shot. Countries like Burundi, Sudan, Congo, Malawi and Yemen are truly poor countries.

 

[Beechwood]

I could be wrong, but my thinking has been that most religions tend to dislike or discourage wealth. You kind of see that with the Catholic church in the west for example. It is more of a centralized, top down, socialist religion.

On the other hand some religions are not against wealth creation, and not as centralized, such as Mormons, Protestants, and the Jewish faith. Those religious groups tend to be wealthier.

 

[plataoplombo]

I don't think religion has anything to do with wealth when it comes to Catholic countries, mainly central and south America. Their's is more of corruption and cultural problem not religion.

 

[Fox by the Sea]

All countries are religious. Those that aren't into mythological beings are into institutions. But it's a similar vein of belief. Civil religions are still religions.

 

[fedoriswar37]

Because their not correlated. Poor people will typically lean into faith when they have nothing else.

 

[Lycandroid]

I have tremendously more respect for people who worship a higher power than those who are equally devoted to the state. Trading faith for obedience doesn't make you enlightened it's actually quite the opposite.

 

[Area809]

I don’t see the correlation. I’d say education has more to do with it.

 

[POWER SLAP WORLD CHAMPION]

Folks from financially fortunate fatherlands frequently forgo far-fetched, faith-founded fantasies?

 

[ChosenOne]

This kind of information is incredibly skewed.

The flipside:

The most wealthy and/or best GDP in the world include Middle East countries with unreal wealth and GDP.
Ireland. Luxembourg. They have wealth and excellent GDP, aswell as high GDP.

Once you find a statistic you want to portray and produce that one stat, it appears way beyond what the full picture is.

FYI. I despise a lot of religiosity and braindead religious power but the stats are not what they seem.

Ya but i do not think that properly addresses it.

Most "Wealthy countries" may have large religious populaces but they tend to keep religion of politics, which is the key.

I think you have to give dictator type ME countries a pass in these assessments as the are wealthy despite themselves simply due OIL. Religion, despotism, nor anything could really stop that.

What the OP touches upon is truth, imo. The more closely tied religion is to driving the politics the poorer a country will be and that is because religion, as it achieves power becomes increasingly about divisions and trying to force conversion and obedience, and those things do align with wealth creation and quite the opposite, lead to massive divides that end up driving poverty.

It does not matter if it is the Taliban or the US form of Christian Nationalism, as ultimately they will end up governing the same, if they achieve similar amounts of political power. They will use the power of government to jail or destroy anyone who does not align with their views all the while the purity test on those views keeps increasing.

 

[Sir Punchalot]

Wealth = better education. Better education = less religion.

 

[nhbbear]

My thoughts are that these nations are not poor because they are religious, but rather they are religious because they are poor.

 

[Natural Order]

God is lazy.

 

[cmw43]

Wealth = better education. Better education = less religion.

In the old days the churches ran the schools, we've still got tonnes of church run schools in the UK.

My primary school and high school were both religious and usually the church run schools got better education outcomes.

I do agree that more educated people are usually less religious but the countries that are currently rich were historically very religious.

 

[Spam On Rye]

All countries are religious so it's a malformed question.